Stoke-on-Trent Central (UK Parliament constituency)

Stoke-on-Trent Central is a constituency in Staffordshire represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Gareth Snell of the Labour Party, who had previously represented the constituency between 2017 and 2019. He succeeded Jo Gideon of the Conservative Party who defeated him in the general election of 2019. Gideon did not seek re-election in 2024, having announced in early 2023 that she would be standing down.

Stoke-on-Trent Central
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Boundaries since 2024
Boundary of Stoke-on-Trent Central in West Midlands region
County	Staffordshire
Electorate	61,774 (December 2010)[1]
Current constituency
Created	1950
Member of Parliament	Gareth Snell (Labour)
Seats	One
Created from	Hanley Stoke-on-Trent/"Stoke"

Boundaries

Historic

Context of the 2019 result. The three seats of the city bore the opposite result to the other three-seat cities (such as Coventry, Nottingham, Leicester and Hull)

1950–1955: Wards 10 to 18 and 28 of the county borough of Stoke-on-Trent.^[2]

1955–1983: Wards 9 to 16 of the county borough of Stoke-on-Trent.^[3]

1983–2010: The Abbey, Berryhill, Brookhouse, Hanley Green, Hartshill, Shelton and Stoke West wards of the City of Stoke-on-Trent.^[4]

2010–2024: Abbey Green, Bentilee and Townsend, Berryhill and Hanley East, Hanley West and Shelton, Hartshill and Penkhull, Northwood and Birches Head, and Stoke and Trent Vale in the City of Stoke-on-Trent.^[5][6]

Current

Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency was defined as composing the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:

• The City of Stoke-on-Trent wards of: Abbey Hulton and Townsend; Bentilee and Ubberley; Birches Head and Central Forest Park; Boothen and Oak Hill; Eaton Park; Etruria and Hanley; Fenton East; Fenton West and Mount Pleasant; Hanley Park and Shelton; Hartshill and Basford; Joiner's Square; Meir Hay; Penkhull and Stoke; Sandford Hill; Sneyd Green; Springfields and Trent Vale.^[7]

In order to bring the electorate within the permitted range, significant parts of the Stoke-on-Trent South constituency were transferred in, including the town of Fenton. In addition, the boundary with Stoke-on-Trent North were re-aligned to take account of changes to ward boundaries.

Following a further local government boundary review in the City of Stoke-on-Trent which came into effect in May 2023,^[8][9] the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

• The City of Stoke-on-Trent wards of: Abbey Hulton; Basford & Hartshill; Bentilee, Ubberley & Townsend; Birches Head & Northwood; Boothen; Etruria and Hanley (nearly all); Bucknall & Eaton Park; Fenton East; Fenton West & Mount Pleasant; Hanley Park, Joiner's Square & Shelton; Hartshill Park & Stoke; Meir Hay North, Parkhall & Weston Coney (part); Moorcroft & Sneyd Green (part); Penkhull & Springfields; Sandford Hill; Trent Vale & Oak Hill; and a very small part of Longton & Meir Hay South.^[10]

Constituency Profile

The contribution of the city to Britain's economy and history is prominent as home to Staffordshire Potteries: Aynsley, Burleigh, Doulton, Dudson, Heron Cross, Minton, Moorcroft, Twyford and Wedgwood, most in this particular seat.

The constituency has a majority of residents from a clear-cut working-class background, many of whom work or have worked in trade union-represented industries. Of these, many were employed in The Potteries, the smaller foundries or in nearby hubs for the civil infrastructure and automotive industries; the latter of these remains an important source of employment in the region. The constituency's housing—overwhelmingly low-rise, and in some cases highly ornate Victorian terraces and semi-detached houses—is, compared with Staffordshire as a whole, a relatively dense urban network of streets.

Owing to a reduction in clay and coal excavation works in the area, and canal trade, this seat has the highest unemployment rates of the three Stoke seats; this seat has 6.2% of workless registered unemployment benefit claimants, compared to a national average of 3.8% and regional average of 4.7%.^[11]

History

The constituency was created for the 1950 general election as the successor to the Hanley Division of Stoke-on-Trent. The large town had first gained representation by way of the "Great Reform Act" in 1832.

Political history

Statistics are confusing as to the current status of the area, reflecting the great demographic—in particular, economic sector—changes in the constituency. Tristram Hunt's result at the 2015 general election gave the seat the 60th-most marginal majority of the Labour Party's 232 seats, measured by percentage of majority.^[12] Labour's continuous tenure of Stoke-on-Trent Central from 1950 to 2019 placed it among the approximately 120 constituencies of the 232 which returned Labour members in 2015—all their predecessor areas included—to have withstood landslides for the Conservative Party during the intervening period (such as the 1983 general election). Stoke-on-Trent Central ranked highest for political apathy at the 2015 election, recording the lowest turnout in the United Kingdom.^[13]

Tristram Hunt resigned as an MP in January 2017,^[14] and Labour's Gareth Snell won the subsequent by-election, with the then leader of UKIP, Paul Nuttall coming in second place. Snell retained the seat at the general election later that year, but was defeated by Jo Gideon at the 2019 general election, the first time the seat or its predecessor had been represented by the Conservative Party since 1935. Gideon did not contest the 2024 general election and the seat was recaptured by Snell, with Reform UK relegating the Conservatives into third place. Turnout in 2024 dropped to just 48%.

Prominent members

Barnett Stross was awarded the Order of the White Lion in recognition of his role in the development of relations between the UK and Czechoslovakia, and for his role in the renewal of the substantial village of Lidice; he also led statutory efforts that began specific protection of workers against industrial disease.

Mark Fisher was for 13 months the Minister for the Arts at the outset of the Blair ministry.

Tristram Hunt was the Shadow Secretary of State for Education in the Labour Party's Shadow Cabinet from October 2013 until September 2015. He resigned as an MP in 2017 to take up the post of Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum.^[14]

Members of Parliament

Election		Member[15]	Party
	1950	Barnett Stross	Labour
	1966	Robert Cant	Labour
	1983	Mark Fisher	Labour
	2010	Tristram Hunt	Labour
	2017 by-election	Gareth Snell	Labour and Co-operative
	2019	Jo Gideon	Conservative
	2024	Gareth Snell	Labour and Co-operative

Elections

Election graph

The letters "b-e" represent where a by-election has taken place.

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Stoke-on-Trent Central^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Gareth Snell	14,950	42.4	−0.5
	Reform UK	Luke Shenton	8,541	24.2	+19.9
	Conservative	Chandra Kanneganti	6,221	17.6	−29.5
	Independent	Navid Kaleem	2,281	6.5	N/A
	Green	Adam Colclough	1,703	4.8	+2.8
	Liberal Democrats	Laura McCarthy	999	2.8	−1.0
	Independent	Andy Polshaw	315	0.9	N/A
	Independent	AliRom Alirom	279	0.8	N/A
Majority			6,409	18.2	N/A
Turnout			35,289	48.0	9.7
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	14.5

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Stoke-on-Trent Central^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Jo Gideon	14,557	45.4	5.6
	Labour Co-op	Gareth Snell	13,887	43.3	8.2
	Brexit Party	Tariq Mahmood	1,691	5.3	New
	Liberal Democrats	Steven Pritchard	1,116	3.5	1.5
	Green	Adam Colclough	819	2.6	1.5
Majority			670	2.1	N/A
Turnout			32,070	57.9	0.9
	Conservative gain from Labour Co-op		Swing	6.9

General election 2017: Stoke-on-Trent Central

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Gareth Snell	17,083	51.5	12.2
	Conservative	Daniel Jellyman	13,186	39.8	17.2
	UKIP	Mick Harold	1,608	4.8	17.9
	Liberal Democrats	Peter Andras	680	2.0	2.2
	Green	Adam Colclough	378	1.1	2.5
	Independent	Barbara Fielding	210	0.6	New
Majority			3,897	11.7	4.9
Turnout			33,145	57.0	7.1
	Labour hold		Swing	2.5

Vote changes are made with reference to the 2015 general election, not to the 2017 by-election.

By-election 2017: Stoke-on-Trent Central^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gareth Snell	7,853	37.1	−2.2
	UKIP	Paul Nuttall	5,233	24.7	+2.0
	Conservative	Jack Brereton	5,154	24.3	+1.8
	Liberal Democrats	Zulfiqar Ali	2,083	9.8	+5.6
	Green	Adam Colclough	294	1.4	−2.2
	Independent	Barbara Fielding	137	0.6	New
	Monster Raving Loony	The Incredible Flying Brick	127	0.6	New
	BNP	David Furness	124	0.6	New
	CPA	Godfrey Davies	109	0.5	New
	Independent	Mohammad Akram	56	0.3	New
Majority			2,620	12.4	−4.2
Turnout			21,200	38.2	−11.7
	Labour hold		Swing	-2.2

General election 2015: Stoke-on-Trent Central^[19][20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Tristram Hunt	12,220	39.3	+0.5
	UKIP	Mick Harold	7,041	22.7	+18.4
	Conservative	Liam Marshall-Ascough	7,008	22.5	+1.5
	Independent	Mark Breeze	2,120	6.8	New
	Liberal Democrats	Zulfiqar Ali[21]	1,296	4.2	−17.5
	Green	Jan Zablocki[22]	1,123	3.6	New
	CISTA	Ali Majid	244	0.8	New
	The Ubuntu Party	Paul Toussaint	32	0.1	New
Majority			5,179	16.6	−0.5
Turnout			31,084	49.9	−3.3
	Labour hold		Swing	-8.9

General election 2010: Stoke-on-Trent Central^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Tristram Hunt	12,605	38.8	−13.6
	Liberal Democrats	John Redfern	7,039	21.7	+3.1
	Conservative	Norsheen Bhatti	6,833	21.0	+3.7
	BNP	Simon Darby	2,502	7.7	−0.1
	UKIP	Carol Lovatt	1,402	4.3	+1.1
	Independent	Paul Breeze	959	3.0	New
	Independent	Gary Elsby	399	1.2	New
	City Independents	Brian Ward	303	0.9	New
	Independent	Alby Walker	295	0.9	New
	TUSC	Matthew Wright	133	0.4	New
Majority			5,566	17.1	−12.9
Turnout			32,470	53.2	+4.5
	Labour win (new seat)

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Stoke-on-Trent Central^[24][25]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mark Fisher	14,760	52.9	−7.8
	Liberal Democrats	John Redfern	4,986	17.9	+3.2
	Conservative	Esther Baroudy	4,823	17.3	−1.5
	BNP	Michael Coleman	2,178	7.8	New
	UKIP	Joseph Bonfiglio	914	3.3	New
	Socialist Alternative	Jim Cessford	246	0.9	New
Majority			9,774	35.0	−6.9
Turnout			27,907	48.4	+1.0
	Labour hold		Swing	-5.5

General election 2001: Stoke-on-Trent Central^[26][27]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mark Fisher	17,170	60.7	−5.5
	Conservative	Jill Clark	5,325	18.8	+2.1
	Liberal Democrats	Gavin Webb	4,148	14.7	+2.8
	Independent	Richard Wise	1,657	5.9	New
Majority			11,845	41.9	−7.6
Turnout			28,300	47.4	−15.4
	Labour hold		Swing	-3.9

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Stoke-on-Trent Central^[28][29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mark Fisher	26,662	66.2	+8.2
	Conservative	Neil Jones	6,738	16.7	−11.2
	Liberal Democrats	Ed Fordham	4,809	11.9	−1.7
	Referendum	Peter L. Stanyer	1,071	2.7	New
	BNP	Michael Coleman	606	1.5	New
	Liberal	Fran M. Oborski	359	0.9	New
Majority			19,924	49.5	+19.4
Turnout			40,245	62.8	−5.3
	Labour hold		Swing	+9.7

General election 1992: Stoke-on-Trent Central^[30][31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mark Fisher	25,897	58.0	+5.5
	Conservative	Nick Gibb	12,477	27.9	−3.1
	Liberal Democrats	Martin Dent	6,073	13.6	New
	Natural Law	Nicholas Pullen	196	0.4	New
Majority			13,420	30.1	+8.6
Turnout			44,643	68.1	−0.7
	Labour hold		Swing	+4.3

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Stoke-on-Trent Central^[32][33]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mark Fisher	23,842	52.5	+4.4
	Conservative	David Stone	14,072	31.0	+1.6
	SDP	Iain Cundy	7,462	16.4	−5.1
Majority			9,770	21.5	+2.8
Turnout			45,376	68.8	+2.9
	Labour hold		Swing	+3.1

General election 1983: Stoke-on-Trent Central^[34][35]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mark Fisher	21,194	48.1	−12.1
	Conservative	Keith Mans	12,944	29.4	−0.1
	SDP	Vicki Freeman	9,458	21.5	New
	Monster Raving Loony	Clive Cook	504	1.1	New
Majority			8,250	18.7	−12.0
Turnout			44,102	65.9	−3.1
	Labour hold		Swing	−-6.0

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Stoke-on-Trent Central^[36]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Robert Cant	24,707	60.2	−0.2
	Conservative	Wallace Williams	12,104	29.5	+5.7
	Liberal	Alan Thomas	4,260	10.4	−5.4
Majority			12,603	30.7	−5.9
Turnout			41,073	69.0	+3.7
	Labour hold		Swing	-3.0

General election October 1974: Stoke-on-Trent Central

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Robert Cant	24,146	60.4	−3.4
	Conservative	Wallace Williams	9,493	23.8	−12.4
	Liberal	Alan Thomas	6,313	15.8	New
Majority			14,653	36.6	+9.0
Turnout			39,952	65.3	−5.0
	Labour hold		Swing	+4.6

General election February 1974: Stoke-on-Trent Central

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Robert Cant	27,171	63.8	+1.2
	Conservative	E Ashley	15,423	36.2	−1.2
Majority			11,748	27.6	+2.4
Turnout			42,594	70.2	+20.2
	Labour hold		Swing	+1.2

General election 1970: Stoke-on-Trent Central

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Robert Cant	18,758	62.6	−5.5
	Conservative	E Ashley	11,227	37.4	+5.5
Majority			7,531	25.2	−11.0
Turnout			29,594	50.0	−18.3
	Labour hold		Swing	-5.5

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Stoke-on-Trent Central

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Robert Cant	26,663	68.1	+3.9
	Conservative	KG Reeves	12,515	31.9	−3.9
Majority			14,148	36.2	+7.8
Turnout			39,178	68.3	−4.0
	Labour hold		Swing	+3.9

General election 1964: Stoke-on-Trent Central

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Barnett Stross	27,424	64.2	+3.1
	Conservative	Julian PH Harrison	15,322	35.8	−3.1
Majority			12,102	28.4	+6.2
Turnout			42,746	72.3	−3.0
	Labour hold		Swing	-3.0

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Stoke-on-Trent Central

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Barnett Stross	28,630	61.1	−2.8
	Conservative	Julian PH Harrison	18,205	38.9	+2.8
Majority			10,425	22.2	−5.4
Turnout			46,835	75.3	+4.0
	Labour hold		Swing	-2.7

General election 1955: Stoke-on-Trent Central

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Barnett Stross	28,452	63.9	−0.7
	Conservative	Geoffrey B Price	16,097	36.1	+0.7
Majority			12,355	27.8	−1.5
Turnout			44,549	71.3	−10.8
	Labour hold		Swing	-0.7

General election 1951: Stoke-on-Trent Central

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Barnett Stross	34,260	64.6	−0.9
	Conservative	H Ronald Fleck	18,770	35.4	+0.9
Majority			15,490	29.2	−1.8
Turnout			53,030	82.2	−1.0
	Labour hold		Swing	-0.9

General election 1950: Stoke-on-Trent Central

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Barnett Stross	34,908	65.5
	Conservative	W Hancock	18,361	34.5
Majority			16,547	31.0
Turnout			53,269	83.2
	Labour win (new seat)

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Staffordshire
• List of parliamentary constituencies in West Midlands (region)